Guest

Kimberley Kennedy: 'Left at the Altar'

By Heather Salon and Molly YoungThe 700 Club

Kimberley Kennedy has felt the pain of disappointment and rejection and has found hope and healing. Twelve years ago, Kimberley had it all. She had a good friends, good family, wonderful career in TV, and she was about to be married to the man of her dreams. She focused on this man and anticipated the life that they were going to have together. On the eve of their wedding, Kimberley sensed something was wrong when her husband-to-be was late for their wedding rehearsal and dinner. His family was there and didn’t suspect anything. When he finally did show up, his sister took Kimberly to the minister’s office where he said five devastating words, “I just can’t do it.”

Kimberley was publically humiliated. Being a TV anchor in Atlanta magnified the pain. The encouraging words that were sent days before from fans turned into condolences when breaking news about their split was released within hours. Friends and fans were very supportive of Kimberley and she received a large stack of letters. Ten days after the near wedding, Kimberley’s ex-fiancée reached out to her through a letter apologizing to her. She took him back and her heart soared. She saw her ex-fiancée on and off for the next year. This made getting over the break up take longer. When he started seeing another woman, Kimberley finally decided to break up with him for good because the emotional strain was wearing her out.

Kimberley says she had faith, but it wasn’t strong enough to help her through this difficult time. She now realizes that when she was left at the altar that she was a Christian in name only. That was why she could find no peace or comfort, though Christ promises both. She is thankful that she now has a deep walk with her Savior.

MAN’S REJECTION, GOD’S PROTECTION

Not long after Kimberley was left at the altar, a stranger stopped her at the mall and said something to her that she believes are words from God that have become planted deep within her soul, “Man’s rejection, God’s protection.”

Kimberley recites these words to herself everytime she feels rejected in any area of her life. Though a man rejected her, God was still there protecting and loving her and trying to draw her close if she would just let Him. God was preparing her for a brand-new relationship - with Him. She was not ready for a new relationship; she still wanted the old one and wanted to be in charge. In hindsight, Kimberley believes that God protected her from divorce. She has a new relationship with God, and God is preserving her and preserving her husband-to-be.

She quotes Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Since her “altar-cation,” neither Kimberley nor her ex-fiancée has married anyone, but Kimberley is trusting in God that He will still send her His best choice for a husband.

HEALING FROM REJECTION

Kimberley's healing was a gradual process. She didn’t have an “aha” moment. She was grieving over her heartbreak. That grief turned to self-pity, and when it got to that point it didn’t appeal to her.

She got angry with God. She wondered why He didn’t protect her from this situation. Kimberley says it is in times like these where women feel rejected by God.

Don’t see yourself as a victim, what you’re not, or dwell on what happened. This blocks healing. You must know that everyone will be rejected, but God turns good things out of bad.

Finally, she was able to give her relationship over to God, and it took her faith to a deeper relationship. Because of this situation, she was able to have a real relationship with God. She truly began to learn that God is the only one who will never leave, forsake, or reject anyone. She began to learn to see God’s truth and learned that she had to reject the negative and the lies and believe the positive and the truth. When we experience rejection we think there is something lacking with us. Women need to see themselves as God sees them and choose to believe what He says. It takes a long time to process, but you have to turn it over to God, forgive yourself, and forgive God.

TOOLS FOR RECOVERY

Here are 10 tools that Kimberley shares that will help you move on and be the person God meant you to be. They worked for her:

Get into a good women’s Bible study or small group.
Lose the fear.
Don’t talk about rejection when you do start dating.
Realize that you will inevitably compare every man who comes along to the one who rejected you.
Don’t make it a priority or become obsessed with replacing that person who rejected you.
Develop patience.
Beware of loneliness.
Continue to reject the deceiver’s lies.
Realize that you may very well be rejected again.
Allow God to reveal to you the exciting plan he has in store for you.